The present disclosure relates generally to endoscopic systems, devices, and methods, and more specifically, relates to systems and devices for use in performing endoluminal procedures, including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and methods of configuring and using such systems and devices.
Presently, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and also the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. If diagnosed at a sufficiently early stage, however, the survival rate of patients suffering from colorectal cancer may reach upwards of ninety percent.
Conventional optical colonoscopy is the most widely accepted and used procedure for colorectal screening. In general, conventional optical colonoscopy involves the insertion of a colonoscope through the colon of a patient, and requires forceful manual pushing of the colonoscope against the luminal wall at flexural or looping/bending sections of the colon during insertion, which generally results in severe discomfort and pain to the patient. The retracting and/or removal of the colonoscope from the flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the colon of the patient may also cause significant discomfort and/or pain to the patient.